Man receives six-week jail term for assaulting sex worker over service dissatisfaction

SINGAPORE: On Tuesday (22 Aug), a 28-year-old man received a six-week prison sentence for assaulting a sex worker due to his dissatisfaction with the services she provided.

Goh Jun Liang admitted guilt to a charge of intentionally causing harm.

The court was informed that Goh, a Malaysian national employed as a packer in a pharmaceutical firm, came across the victim’s profile on a website that offered sexual services.

The victim’s identity is protected by a legal order preventing its disclosure.

On 16 April of the current year, Goh encountered the victim’s advertisement which stated a price of S$130 (US$96) for specific sexual services. Goh subsequently scheduled a meeting at the victim’s residence for later that evening.

Meeting at 8 pm at the victim’s residence, Goh provided her with S$130 and engaged in sexual activity before cleaning up.

Following that, Goh asked for an additional session and passed another S$130 to the victim.

However, he faced problems while trying to do the act, so the victim helped him. Goh wasn’t happy about it because he thought the victim “used too much strength and caused him pain,” the prosecutor explained.

Furthermore, Goh became distressed when the victim referred to him as “troublesome” as he was taking too long.

Once the second session concluded and they cleaned up, Goh felt that the money he had given the victim “was not worth it,” this dissatisfaction prompted him to forcibly retrieve the money.

The prosecutor recounted that Goh’s dissatisfaction led him to notice a metallic water bottle placed on a table.

Seizing an opportune moment when the woman had her back turned, he grabbed the bottle and proceeded to strike her on her back and neck while demanding the return of his payment.

Although the victim agreed to return the S$260, Goh persisted in hitting her until she finally gave up the money.

After Goh left, the victim contacted a friend and proceeded to file a report with the police. She experienced swelling in her shoulder and persistent headaches hours after the incident but declined additional medical care.

As reported by  CNA, Goh could have faced a prison term of up to three years, a fine, or both, for the offence of voluntarily causing harm.

Netizens’ response

In the comment section of Reddit, some users jest that the man’s decision might have been influenced by “post-nut clarity,” while also labeling him as a cheapskate for his actions.

Others sympathize with the sex worker, asserting that such individuals should not be subjected to assault for their profession.

A user on Reddit blamed the man for his performance issues but had the nerve to claim that the service wasn’t worth the money.

Another Reddit user thought that this might not be the first instance of a man assaulting a sex worker.

They raised concerns about the leniency of his sentence and suggested that his employer should consider terminating his contract.

Meanwhile, others speak of how it is unjust to harm sex workers, especially since they already face marginalization and exist on the edges of society.

These people are wishing for more empathy and understanding towards these workers considering the difficulties they experience.